Folding bicycle-crate



y(No Model.)

M. E. DUNBAR. FOLDING BICYCLE CRATE.

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IIIIII lllllllllllllllll'lwv ..iilliiiililllllllllIII MILES E. Dun/BAR numn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

4MILES E. DUNBAR, OF STOCKBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

-FOLDlNG BICYCLE-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,098, dated February2, 1897,

'Application tied Api 15,1896.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.

Be it known that I, MILES E. DUNBAR, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Stockbridge, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFolding Bicycle-Crates, of which the following is a specication. p

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in crates, such asmay be employed to protect bicycles during shipment from one place toanother and during storage.

It is, first, an object of my invention to produce a crate of the aboveclass which, when not in use, can-be easily and quickly folded upwithout necessitating the removal of any parts thereof.

Second, it is an important object to conl struct said crate in such amanner as to have no detachable parts, but which shall consist ofsuccessive sections, all of which are hinged together, thus folding orexpanding it more quickly, and whereby it will be more coinpact when insuch folded position.

It is further a desirable and important object of my invention to soconstruct and assemble the several parts of my crate that it has but onepoint of union, and whereby all the parts are locked in place and firmlyre- `tained in an expanded position without the use of tools of anykind.

Finally, it is an object of my invention to provide means whereby thetool-box attached to the crate is automatically locked by the couplingof its sections together. In addition to the above novel features Icheapen, simplify, strengthen, and improve the construction of crates ofthis class in a manner to produce a more desirable and salable articlethan any now upon the market.

Upon the several figures of the accompany ing drawin gs, forming a partof this specification, the same numerals of reference denote like orcorresponding parts, and of which- Figure 1 shows an expandedperspective view of my novel bicycle -crate complete. Fig. 2 shows aside view of my novel crate in a partially-folded position. Fig. 3 showsa side elevation of a complete folded crate. Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of the toolbox and the connections for locking itsdoor.

Referring to the numerals of reference Serial No. 587,690. .(No model.)

marked upon the drawings, l indicates the base; 2 and 3, vertical endpieces hinged to said base and adapted to fold inwardly. Said end pieces2 and 3 in turn have hinged thereto top sections 4 and 5, respectively,which are adapted to fold outward upon'sa-id end pieces, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, and wherein it will be observed thatthe section of oneend lies beneath that of the other. The sections t and 5, whichconstitute the top of the frame, are united about midway thereof in anysuitable manner, as, for instance, by splicing and the employment of abolt 6, as

shown, which passes through bores in said ends and serves to firmlyretain the two togetherand also to engage and retain other parts as willbe later explained. The side pieces of the frame are also made foldablein a desirable and efficient manner, as will be next described. Saidsides consist each of angularly-arranged braces 7 and 8, which arepivoted to the side of the base 1 near its opposite ends, as at 9.gcthcr with the hinging of the end pieces to said base, are protected bymeans of corner irons 10, as clearly appear in the drawings. Said braces7 and 8 are ironcd upon their upper ends and provided with a hole`through which the pin 6, before mentioned, passes, and which serves tofully clamp said side braces to the top in their respective positions.'To these braces just described I slidably pivot, by means of bolts 11and slots 12, a horizon- Said pivotal points, to'

equal to the distance between the vertical end pieces, and consequentlylits snugly there`4 between when the frame is expanded, thus renderingthe crate more rigid and firm. OW- ing to the pivotal sliding connectionbetween the braces and the horizontal bar, the latter settles downclosely upon the base-piece with the disconnecting and lowering of saidbraces, as will be apparent with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

I attach'a tool-box 14 to the under side of the top piece i of the crateand provide the inner end thereof with a hinged door 15, as clearlyappears in Fig. 4. I further provide means for locking said door whenthe crate is expanded, which means consist in a IOC slidable rod 16,having a head which normally abuts against the said door` in a manner toretainthe same. Said rod is let into a suitable recess of the top piece4 of the crate, and is provided with means for retaining it therein. Theinner end of said rod is free to 5 be engaged by the bolt G when thesame 'is slipped into the holes of the connecting ends of the top piecesL and 5. f For convenience in handling I provide upon the outer side ofeach of the vertical end pieces 2 and 3 a han Io dle 17, which can be ofany ordinary or preferred construction. By means of the above a wheelcan oftentimes be shipped as baggage without additional cost.

The method of setting up or expanding my crate is very simple, and is asfollows: The attendant iirst raises the sections 3 and 5 to the positionshown in Fig. 1. IIe'neXt raises the sections 2 and 4 of the oppositeend and brings the connecting ends of the two parts 2o together, thenraises the braces 7 and S to their elevated positions, which parts wouldsimultaneouslyraise the horizontal bar 13 by reason of the connectiontherewith, after which the retaining-bolt G is placed in position andthe several parts firmly locked.

It will be apparent that the bolt 6 and its thumb-nut can readily beprovided with a small bicycle-lock, whereby the crate can easily belocked during shipment. It is further obvious that the crate can beprovided with curtains upon either side, or with a can vas covering,thereby protecting the finish of the wheel from dust or other injury.These, however, are immaterial. i

`I am aware that a bicycle-crate has been produced which is collapsible,but not foldable, by reason of the fact that essential 'parts thereofhave to be rst disconnected from the main frame, which may then be col-40 lapsed. Said construction is obviously objectionable, and in no senseforms any part of my invention.

My invention resides in the production of a crate having no detachableparts and which is a complete folding structure, and which,

by reason of said simple construction, can be set up or folded in lessthan one minutes time.

IIaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat- 1. A bicycle-crate consisting of a base having foldingend and top pieces hinged thereto, in combination with side pieces,foldable in the vertical plane of said sides and connectible with saidtop, substantially as described.

2. A bicycle-crate substantially as herein shown and described,consisting of a base, end pieces hinged to said base, top pieces hingedto said end pieces, means for connecting said top pieces, side piecesfoldable in their vertical plane and connectible with said top. i

A bicycle-crate, consisting of a folding frame, comprising a base, end,and top pieces in combination with sidev braces hinged to said base andconnectible with the top, longitudinal bars pivotally connected to saidbraces and adapted to fold therewith upon the base aforesaid.

4E. A folding bicycle-crate comprising a base, end pieces hinged theretoand provided with a sectional top, connected together about midway ofits length, braces hinged to the base and having their free ends adaptedto register with the connection of the top pieces, means for lockingsaid connecting top pieces and braces together.

5. A folding bicycle-crate, consisting of a frame comprising` a base,end, and top sections, sides connected to said frame, a single meanswhereby the free ends of said frame and side pieces are united at asingle point.

6. A folding bicycle-crate, consisting of a frame comprising a base, endand top pieces, sides connected to said frame, a tool-box attached tosaid frame, means whereby said box is locked simultaneously with theuniting of the free ends of the frame and side pieces.

Y Signed at Stockbridge, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts, this 8th day of April, A. D. 1896.

MILES E. DUNBAR.

Witnesses:

JosnrH L. RATHBUN, FRED C. ELLIooT'r.

